Interbike Appetizer: Gates Carbon Drive’s CenterTrack

As the crew here at Singletrack.com slouches ever-so closer to next week and Interbike in Las Vegas we’ve been getting pre-Vegas glimpes at gear.

The CenterTrack belt has a channel on its underside that fits snuggly onto the track for perfect alignment.

And one of the coolest things we’ve seen so far (but not the last, so be sure to check in next week) is Gates Carbon Drive Systems’ new drive train — CenterTrack.

The folks at Gates say the new design offers all the advantages of their existing Carbon Drives, but with 20 percent more tensile strength, a slimmer profile and even better dirt- and debris-shedding.

Gates will show the new drive train for the first time at Interbike’s Outdoor Demo, where Singletrack.com’s tech editor Zach Vestal will be prowling about filing reports.

Until ZV’s has his say, the Gates people say CenterTrack advances their popular belt and pulley system that debuted at Interbike in 2007. Instead of a raised flange on the side, the front and rear pulleys of CenterTrack feature a narrow track that runs around the center of their circumference.

The CenterTrack belt has a channel on its underside that fits snuggly onto the track for perfect alignment while the belt’s teeth engage with the pulleys, whose sides have been removed for debris shedding, which makes the drivetrain promising in muddy or snowy conditions. Gates will offer the CenterTrack technology on its new CDX-CT drivetrain, which will be the new premium component offering from Carbon Drive Systems. CDX-CT joins the CDX and CDC product lines.

The cost of CDX-CT will be announced at Bike Week (Dec 5-8, 2010). Gates will take sample orders from bike makers at Interbike and will take production orders in December. CDX-CT will debut for 2011 on Spot Brand’s Acme Bike. The system will appear in widespread use on 2012 models, available retail in late 2011.